Dear friend,
Happy Mother’s Day! We’re back this week with exciting new content in the form of three new articles and an exclusive interview, but we’ll be taking a break over the next two weeks as we devote our efforts to our vital spring fundraising campaign (more on this to come!).
First up this week, we have an article and an exclusive interview delving into all of the most pressing questions surrounding at-home fertility hormone monitors. I recently sat down with Dr. Thomas Bouchard to discuss all the latest research surrounding this exciting area of FemTech, what these monitors do, and who they may benefit most. Don’t miss out on this informative interview!
Next up, we’re tackling the subject of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) in honor Mental Health Awareness Month. If you’ve ever wondered just how bad one’s premenstrual mood disruptions need to be to be considered PMDD (vs. your run-of-the-mill PMS), and if there are other options for treatment besides birth control and SSRIs (hint: there are!), be sure to check this article out.
Finally, Natural Womanhood Assistant Editor Anne Marie Williams answers the question “Is it safe to stop your period indefinitely?” We all remember the birth control commercials from the early aughts that told women “there’s no medical reason to have a period on birth control,” right? Anne Marie breaks down for us why that statement is technically correct, but also why it fails to address the wider problems behind why women want to stop their periods in the first place, and what they miss out on when they’re not cycling.
All the best,
Grace Emily Stark
Editor
Natural Womanhood
| Which hormone monitor is right for your fertility goals? An exclusive Natural Womanhood video interview with Dr. Thomas Bouchard Natural Womanhood’s Grace Emily Stark recently interviewed Dr. Thomas Bouchard, a family practice doctor based out of Calgary, Alberta Canada about the latest Femtech monitors and the research supporting their use with NFP and FAMs. Dr. Bouchard is pursuing a PhD in menstrual cycle monitoring, and is keenly interested in utilizing the latest in hormone monitoring technology to benefit couples using NFP–whether they are trying to get pregnant, struggling to get pregnant, or looking to avoid pregnancy–as well as women seeking to monitor and improve their reproductive health via FAMs. Click here to read more about the interview with Dr. Bouchard and watch it on our website, or click here to watch the interview on Natural Womanhood’s YouTube channel. |
| What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and how is it different from premenstrual syndrome (PMS)? How do you distinguish PMDD from PMS? What are the symptoms of each? How and why might hormonal supplementation help women suffering from PMS but not from PMDD? Click here to read the full article. |
| Is it safe to stop your period indefinitely? Here we delve into the reasons why women might intentionally seek to stop their periods entirely, and whether hormonal birth control resolves those reasons. We explain why the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) assurances of the safety of continuous menstrual suppression via hormonal contraception may be premature. Click here to read the full article. |